Too much Christmas!

[FreeTime]

A thread on the debate board about how much is too much for Christmas promted me to ask this question. What should I do with a husband who thinks that the kids should get a ton of stuff for Christmas? When I say a ton, I mean so much stuff that it is hard to find time for the kids to use it all? For example, I start Christmas shopping in July (maybe it is my fault because I shop all year) so that I can get great deals such as when Toys R Us has buy one get one etc. So far they already have 2 outfits each, shoes, about 10 DVDs (total), 1 Barbie each, Barbie Car, Barbie playset, books, and a few small toys. The FIL has bought them a ride on car and Care Bears, Doras ,Light Brights, etc! I say enough. My husband says that Christmas should be lots and lots of toys for the kids. The thought of more is making me ill! I made my kids pick out ornament sets out of Oriental Trader to help make their gifts for the grandparents to help them learn what Christmas is about. Help, help!

 

[believe]

DH kept mentioning all these things he seen and was thinking of getting our girls. I took him upstairs and started pulling out the bags....towards the end he said "I get the point". We have agreed that next year we will think through their gifts and they will only get 3 gifts each that represent the 3 original gifts. Also, I make several trips to Goodwill to make room for all the new toys.

 

[Lynn CC]

I say Spoil Em ALL !

Christmas is for kids....Don't forget to have them give to someone in need.

 

[KathyFP]

DD has gifts that she hasnb't even played with from last year. In August we finally fot her toys out of the closet that she hadn't opened for her bday in Feb. Some of those have not been used.

I love to shop for her and so does DH. We are trying this year to cut back.

We talked about redoing her play room. The Santa could bring her a big desk and some new shelves for her toys. Some organization items for the rest of her toys. Maybe a new entertainment center for her TV and DVD player. Right now, they just keep getting put into rubber maid tubs. I won't tell you how many of those we have filled.

It still will be more than we should spend, but at least it will have a purpose.

 

[Snowysmom]

DH and I have this argument every Christmas. He likes to spend and spend on the kids and I like a little moderation. Now that they are teenagers, things are more expensive too. He spends too much on my gifts too! I'm trying for moderation again but I don't think I will see any progress. Since we have a child in college, I really want to keep the holiday sane but we'll see. I will say that my kids are very generous with their gift giving and my younger son is even saving up his allowance to buy Christmas presents. Older DS has money saved from working to buy presents.

 

[CEDmom]

Most kids my DD play with have so many more toys that she does it blows my mind. DD is any only child and we make pretty good money so the ability to buy tons of things for her is there. Luckily she's a child that wants very little. She's 4 and all she wants Santa to bring are legos. We've got that plus the lego table from Santa and a few things for her baby dolls from DH and I, that's it. We've decided we'd rather spend our money on doing things together and luckily we have a child that's fine with that.

 

[Pooh67_68]

Even though we never had a lot of money when I was growing up, my parents always made sure we had a great Christmas.
Pretty much got what ever we wanted, but also new the meaning of Christmas was not what we got.

To this day my sister and I always donate items to the organizations that help people who might otherwise not have a Christmas. Last year and this year for instance we have donated to Samaritans Purse. An organization that has a program called shoe box Christmas, where people make up shoe boxs full of stuff for childern and then the boxes get shipped to children all over the world, so they can have at least one present.

 

[Cindy B]

We never really do much for our kids either. We don't spoil them, and we have done the three gifts to symbolize Christs gifts as well. We try not to emphasize the stuff involved.. although they do get things.

We don't want them to have too many things, and to be fortunate for what they have... we usually give them some necesseties as well in the stocking as well as other things.